Begonia plant named Enchantment

ABSTRACT

A Begonia plant named Enchantment, characterized by its salmon orange flower color, semi-double flower form, cyme type inflorescence; compact, upright growth habit with good branching, early flowering, ease of propagation by stem and leaf cuttings, and excellent flower retention during shipping.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofBegonia plant, botanically known as Begonia hiemalis, Fotsch, and knownby the cultivar name Enchantment.

The new cultivar was discovered by me as a seedling from a controlledcrossing of B. tuberhybrida, Mikkelsen Seedling No. 84-617-4, as theseed parent with B. socotrana, Mikkelsen Seedling No. 84-1018-26, as thepollen parent.

Asexual reproduction of Enchantment by stem and/or leaf cuttings by meat Ashtabula, Ohio, has reproduced the unique features of the newcultivar through successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new begonia from both itsparents and other begonias commercially known and used in thefloriculture industry. In describing Enchantment, comparisons have beenmade with other cultivars, including Tango (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,538),Whisper-of-Pink (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,787), and Revelry, Bolero andAlice, all of which are not patented.

1. Enchantment is salmon orange in color, being close to the color ofTango and Revelry. Bolero has more orange, Alice is more salmon pink,and Whisper-of-Pink has more pink.

2. Enchantment is a semi-double cultivar while Alice and Whisper-of-Pinkare single. Tango, Revelry and Bolero are full doubles.

3. Flower size of Enchantment is larger than Alice and Bolero, equal toWhisper-of-Pink and Revelry, and slightly smaller than Tango.

4. Plant height of Enchantment is more compact than Whisper-of-Pink,similar to Bolero and Revelry, and Alice and Tango are more compact.

5. Leaf size is similar to Revelry and Whisper-of-Pink. Tango, Boleroand Alice have smaller leaves.

6. Whisper-of-Pink and Alice have brighter green leaves, Bolero hasdarker green leaves, and Tango and Revelry have a similar intermediategreen leaf color as Enchantment.

7. Lobes of the leaf overlap both on mature and immature leaves, likeAlice and Whisper-of-Pink. Only mature leaves overlap in Revelry andBolero, and neither mature or immature leaves overlap in Tango.

8. The immature leaf of Enchantment has a red margin with the remainderof the leaf being green, similar to Alice and Whisper-of-Pink. Tango,Bolero and Revelry all have a more distinct red margin and some redcoloring infused in the back of the leaf.

9. Enchantment has a cyme type of inflorescence which is similar toWhisper-of-Pink, while Bolero, Alice, Revelry and Tango have a racemetype of inflorescence.

10. Early flowering.

11. Heavy branching from base of plant after stem cutting has beenpinched.

12. Excellent holding of flowers on plant when being shipped.

13. Propagates well from stem and leaf cuttings.

14. Good balance between leaf size and plant size.

15. Suitable for 12, 15 and 25 cm pot plant production.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates in perspective view theoverall appearance of Enchantment, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new begonia cultivar basedon plants produced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio, undergreenhouse conditions. The photograph was taken in early June, 1986, andcolor references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

Parentage: A controlled cross between B. tuberhybrida, MikkelsenSeedling No. 84-617-4×B. Socotrana, Mikkelsen Seedling No. 84-1018-26.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--Leaf.

(B) Time to root.--18 days at 21° C. summer; 24 days at 21° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Numerous, fibrous, fine.

(D) Time for shoot development.--10 weeks in summer to 13 weeks inwinter to obtain shoots 4 to 5 cm long in length.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Upright, good stem strength for self-support, compact, shortinternodes, well branched. Suitable for 10, 15 and 25 cm pot plantproduction.

(B) Habit of growth.--Vigorous, fast upright growth, early to flower,good branching from base of plant when pinched. Usually vegetativeshoots are formed at the basal nodes and flower shoots at the highernodes.

(C) Foliage.--Leaves simple, alternate, borne on strong petioles 5-6 mmin diameter on mature basal leaves. (1) Size: Mature basal leaves are 10to 11 cm in diameter. Size can vary with position on plant, number ofshoots per plant, and environment. (2) Shape: Ovate to almost orbicular,lobes overlap on both mature leaves and immature leaves. (3) Texture:Leathery, glabrous. (4) Margin: Serrated. (5) Color: Young foliage, topside 146B, with red tint to margin; Young foliage, under side 146C, redtint at margins. Mature foliage, top side 147A and 147B; Mature foliage,under side 148B. (6) Venation: Palmate with 6 major veins.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habits.--Flowering in cymes, five being the most commonnumber of flowers per cyme. Several flowers are in bloom at one time onplant, with flowering continuing more or less indefinitely.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Will flower year around withoutcontrolling day length. Plants will flower earlier and more abundantlyif subjected to a reduced day length of 12 hours.

(C) Flower buds.--20 mm wide and 15 mm long just before opening. Tepalsare slightly crenated at margins. Color 47C just before opening; 46Cwhen immature.

(D) Flowers borne.--On strong upright peduncles 5 mm in diameter, with areddish cast to the green. Pedicels on which flowers are borne are ashade deeper red in color and vary in length in the cyme.

(E) Quantity.--Five (5) per peduncle is the average, opening in sequenceas the cyme develops. Total number per plant will vary with number offlowering shoots that develop.

(F) Tepals.--(1) Shape: Flat and heart shaped, crenate at tips. (2)Color top side in summer when opening: 39A, fading to 35B-C; underside43C. (3) Number of tepals: 20 or more; semi-double. (4) Size of tepals:25 mm long and 20-22 mm wide at widest part. (5) Flower size: 50-55 cmin diameter (first one to open in cyme).

(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: Many. (a) Anther shape: Rounded,color yellow. (b) Pollen color: No pollen present. (2) Pistils: Nofemale flowers observed to date.

Disease resistance: Enchantment has shown good resistance to powderymildew. No other disease and insect problems have been observed to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named Enchantment, asillustrated and described, and particularly characterized by its salmonorange flower color, semi-double flower form, cyme type inflorescence;compact, upright growth habit with good branching, early flowering, easeof propagation by stem and leaf cuttings, and excellent flower retentionduring shipping.